Looking for hidden meanings

Sound Symbolism. Ever heard of it? Me neither until I read an article in my online newsletter from RWA.

The idea is that certain sounds as presented in language have meaning, and that the letters used to represent them have meaning. It's all very academic. Or is that new age? I get confused.

If you want, you can read more about it on Wikipedia. Me? I'm going to skip right to the fun part -- putting a barely understood theory into use.

Margaret Magnus, who wrote Gods of the Word: Archetypes in the Consonants, has a chart on her website that allows you to examine names for their hidden meanings, called The Hidden Message in Your Name.

She takes the idea a little further, though, and suggests that the names that people choose to call you, the nicknames and variations on your given name, reflect how those people think about you.

I thought it would be fun to look at my own name and see what came up. I looked at "Haley" and my sometimes nicknames of "Hal" and "Hughes". The directions say to look at the stressed syllable of the name, which would be "Ha" for Haley, "Hal", and "Hu" for Hughes (taking into consideration that the "gh" is mostly silent and not represented in the chart).

So what did I find out? In all three variations, I get themes of "elastic" and "going with the flow", which are pretty much the same thing, and "home" , which I interpret as homeward facing, being self-reflective and self-critical. I'm sure I'm missing several nuances in my quick interpretation, but that's the gist of things.

Does it seem to be in the ballpark for how people view me and how I view myself? As much as I can tell. You tell me: Based on what you read here, does it?

But enough about me.

The whole reason this subject was written up in my romance writers newsletter was because it could be a fun way to examine character names in the stories we write.

So, I looked at the two main female characters I've been imagining over the years, twins named Natasha and Tatiana. And here's where I thought things got interesting. In both names, the stressed syllable is "ta". In the case of Natasha, it's the middle syllable, and in the case of Tatiana, it's the first syllable.

The short "a" sound in "ta" is suggested as being "balanced and flat", which I'm not sure how to interpret. They're well-balanced characters? Or they're flat characters? (Which is really bad in fiction writing.)

The "t" in "ta" is suggested as meaning "Temptation. 't' is the letter of the dreamer, the designer of grand schemes, the traveller who follows her star", which I thought was really appropriate since both characters are travellers, time travellers to be exact. And there are some grand schemes involved in their lives. And they're heroines in romance novels, so of course there's lots of temptation. :P

If there's any truth to this sound symbolism stuff, then my sub-conscious was working hard when I came up with the names Natasha and Tatiana.

Anyway, I thought it was a fun experiment, and I thought you might have fun with it, too. So, I'm wondering: What's the hidden message is your name? Did you find any accuracy in the interpretation? Or is it all bonkers?

Some public goal-setting -- *gulp*

How you comin' on that novel you're working on? Huh? Got a big stack of papers there? Got a nice little story you're working on there? Your big novel you've been working on for three years? Huh? Got a compelling protagonist? Yeah? Got an obstacle for him to overcome? Huh? Got a story brewing there? Working on that for quite some time? Huh? Yeah, talking about that three years ago. Been working on that the whole time? Nice little narrative? Beginning, middle and end? Some friends become enemies, some enemies become friends? At the end your main character is richer from the experience? Yeah? Yeah?

No, no, you deserve some time off.

-- Stewie Griffin to Brian the dog on Family Guy
said in an extremely sarcastic tone of voice,
tempo and pitch rising throughout

Have you noticed that the writing posts in this online journal of mine have been pretty scarce lately? Me too. Well, it's time to get off my rear and start committing myself publicly to some fiction-writing goals.

In two months I'll be attending the RWA national conference, where I'll get to attend some fabulous writing workshops, hang out with other writers, and potentially meet an agent or editor or two. In fact, I've signed up for an appointment with Susan Swinwood, who is the Spice editor. I'd really like to be able to talk about my writing being in full gear and focused.

First goal: Finish the erotic novella I've been working on within the next 10 days. Working title is The Viking's Tale. I have about 4,000 words written. I'm shooting for about 12,500 words, which is 50 pages in standard manuscript format. Basically, I need to write 850 words a day. My problem is that I keep trying to shove too much plot into a short story. Simplify. Oh, and I need to actually write the intimate parts. Yeah, that's been kind of slow for me on this one. Mental block?

Second goal: Whip my other erotic novella into shape. Clio's Tale, this one is called. It's blessedly short on external plot complications and is meant for inclusion in a novel-length work that I've been working on with two other writer friends. I need to dust this one off and see where I'm at on it before I can get more specific with goals. I'd like to have this one solidified before the conference, too.

Longer-term goals:
Re-imagine the opening section of my finished novel-length manuscript, Prairie Fire. As I've been developing the companion book, Witch's Fire, I've solidified the universe a little better. Thus, changes need to be made, which is OK, because I think the opening was feeling a little tired to me anyway. And when I'm finished with the new-and-improved Prairie Fire, then start actually writing Witch's Fire.

OK, so those are my current writing goals, put out there publicly for you all to see. Feel free to ask me every now and then, "How you comin' on that novel you're working on?"

It's all about marketing

Blogger has this new(er) feature that allows me to conduct polls. So, I'm conducting two polls (see right sidebar) quizzing you about book titles.

Why? Because even before I can hope to sell a book, I have to get an editor or agent's attention. That requires marketing - and my book title is part of my brand. (Yeah, yeah, I know that the title will most likely be changed if/when I sell the project and it goes to print, but why not try to start out strong?)

Plus, polls are fun.

So, please vote.

And feel free to leave me a comment if you have other ideas for book titles. (I'd be worried about opening up a can of worms, but I only average about three unique visitors a day, plus people hardly ever leave me comments. LOL)

Kline Creek Farm

Took myself on a field trip Saturday to the Kline Creek Farm museum. It's run by the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County as an 1890s living history farm.

The blacksmithing demonstration brought me out there -- research for the next book -- but I had a great time wandering around. Even snagged a private tour of the farm house.

Of course, I didn't take photos inside the house or of the blacksmithing. It was too nice a day. Almost spring! My photos are from outside. Even the new lambs.



I ended my fieldtrip with a quick stop at Mallard Lake Forest Preserve, where I snapped my favorite photo of the day.

Writing update: November 2006

Here's a synopsis of each project, where I am on the project and my goals for this month:

Prairie Fire
(A single-title, time-travel romance)

When a prairie fire magically creates a doorway that sends Natasha Stewart though time and into the arms of James Waverly, the sparks threaten to ignite more than dry grass. As Natasha searches for a way home and Waverly tries to protect this lady who refuses to be protected, they discover their lives are more connected than either could have believed, and Natasha's future hinges on this frontiersman with an unexpected link to her past.

Last month's goal: Submit queries/partials to at least three agents this month. Make this project work for me.

Status: Incomplete.

This month's goal: Get those queries out, same as last month.

Plus, send thank-you notes to the judges in the time-travel category of the FFP contest.

Finally, polish my Golden Heart entry. For me, that's the first 50 pages and a 5-page synopsis (same as I would send to an agent), plus a quick run-through of the rest of the book. Deadline to be received at the RWA office: Dec. 4.

Yes, in a moment of weakness, I've paid my entry fee in the Golden Heart contest again. In the Pro category, it's the smart career choice, because, hey, I could always final and get exposed to all sorts of industry professionals. Yet, the Con category was pretty strong also, with the expense of the contest, the subjective nature of judging (especially in this contest) and past disappointment being key points. But karma might be working in my favor, because if I were to final, I couldn't even go to the RWA conference next year because of a major family conflict.

The Hunting Lodge
(A co-written erotica project)

Three couples converge at an invitation-only lodge deep in the Scottish Highlands, where their hosts, a mysterious -- seemingly fey -- couple, entice from them erotic stories of love and passion.

Last month's goal: Finish Clio's Story. Scene should be about 20 pages when complete.

Status: Incomplete.

This month's goal: Same as last month. Finish Clio's Story.

Witch's Fire
(A single-title, time-travel continuing the universe created in Prairie Fire)

The ability to time-travel is closely guarded knowledge within Tatiana Stewart's family. When a fire sends Tatiana back to 17th century England, she's confronted by a sexy Scottish warrior who uncovers her secret and forces her to unravel a deeper mystery in her past.

Last month's goal: Move beyond the conceptual. Listen to Teaching Company class on Shakespeare, specifically for references to Titania, fearies and love in "A Midsummer Night's Dream".

Status: Accomplished! Finished the class and got lots of wonderful ideas. Wrote several pages of plotting notes for Witch's Fire.

This month's goal: Since I have so much to do on the other projects, I'm going to keep this project's goal easy. I'll continue research by listening to the Teaching Company course on Comparative Religions. Yes, I have a thing for Teaching Company courses. Love them. In audio format, they're perfect for my commute to/from my day job.

An extended blessing

I don't know if you've ever noticed it, but I have a small little Irish/Scottish blessing listed in the sidebar of this page. It says:

May the blessings of light be upon you,
Light without and light within.
And in all your comings and goings,
May you ever have a kindly greeting
From them you meet along the road.
-an old blessing (some say it's Scottish,
some say it's Irish)

I've never explained why it's there. In my Beacon novels (Prairie Fire, Witch's Fire), I have a recurring character of Aunt Riona (aka Catriona Stewart). There's something magical about this woman, but I won't say what.

So, as I was browsing the Internet, looking for something that this character would say, I did a search that combined the elements of Celtic/Gaelic with fire/light and came up with this blessing. I've seen it in different forms, so I took liberties with the blessing, and rewrote it as I think Aunt Riona would say it:

May the blessing of light be upon you,
light without and light within.
May the blessed sunlight shine upon you
and warm your heart till it glows,
like a great peat fire, so that the stranger may come
and warm himself at it, as well as the friend.
And may the light shine out of the eyes of you,
like a candle set in the windows of a house,
bidding the wanderer to come in out of the storm.

May the blessing of the rain be upon you
- the soft sweet rain.
May it fall upon your spirit so that
all the little flowers spring up,
shedding their sweetness on the air.
And may it wash your spirit fair and clean,
and leave there many a shining pool, and sometimes a star.

May the blessing of the earth be upon you
- the great round earth.
May it be soft under your feet as you walk along it,
soft under you as you lie out on it, tired at the end of day.
And in all your comings and goings,
may you ever have a kindly greeting
for them you meet along the road.

I couldn't find the exact websites I visited seeking inspiration, but if you're curious, here are links to a few that have versions of the blessing: Celtic Dejavu, Island Ireland, and Traditional Wedding Toasts.

Writing update: October 2006

A lot of good intentions, but not a lot getting done. Here's a synopsis of each project, where I am on the project and my goals for this month:

Prairie Fire
(A single-title, time-travel romance)

When a prairie fire magically creates a doorway that sends Natasha Stewart though time and into the arms of James Waverly, the sparks threaten to ignite more than dry grass. As Natasha searches for a way home and Waverly tries to protect this lady who refuses to be protected, they discover their lives are more connected than either could have believed, and Natasha's future hinges on this frontiersman with an unexpected link to her past.

Just saw today that Prairie Fire failed to final in the On the Far Side Contest. I'll be interested to see the feedback.

Contemplating a name change. I've always had concerns about the tone that the word "Prairie" sets: too sweet and too Western -- and Westerns just don't seem to sell. Thinking perhaps "Spark of Fire". Than I could maybe go with "Flash of Fire" for the next one. Both based on the MacFarlane translations for the twins' Gaelic names Sradag and Lasair. I'm open to other suggestions.

Goal: Submit queries/partials to at least three agents this month. Make this project work for me.

The Hunting Lodge
(A co-written erotica project)

Three couples converge at an invitation-only lodge deep in the Scottish Highlands, where their hosts, a mysterious -- seemingly fey -- couple, entice from them erotic stories of love and passion.

Goal: Finish Clio's Story. Scene should be about 20 pages when complete.

Witch's Fire
(A single-title, time-travel continuing the universe created in Prairie Fire)

The ability to time-travel is closely guarded knowledge within Tatiana Stewart's family. When a fire sends Tatiana back to 17th century England, she's confronted by a sexy Scottish warrior who uncovers her secret and forces her to unravel a deeper mystery in her past.

Goal: Move beyond the conceptual. Listen to Teaching Company class on Shakespeare, specifically for references to Titania, fearies and love in "A Midsummer Night's Dream".

My work

Updated 5/22/08:

I call myself a "writer". What does that mean?

Fiction Projects I've written:
• Prairie Fire, a completed 100,000 word time-travel romance
• Witch's Fire, continuing the universe created in Prairie Fire, currently in draft stages
• The Viking's Tale, an erotic short story, currently in draft stages

Contest Placements for Prairie Fire:
• Finalist, 2005 First Kiss Contest (a best first-kiss scene contest)
• Second Place, Historical Category, 2004 Stepping Stone Contest (a Golden Heart-style contest)
• First Place, 2003 Picture This Contest (a best-scene contest)
• Third Place, 2001 Heart of the West Contest (a first-chapter contest)
• Third Place, 2001 Southern Heat Contest (a first-chapter contest)
~Read judges' comments from some of these contests~

Member of Romance Writers of America
• Achieved RWA Pro status in 2003
• Attended national and regional conferences
• Member of Windy City Romance Writers
• Previous member of Hearts Through History Romance Writers, The Beau Monde, San Francisco Area Romance Writers, Silicon Valley Romance Writers, and the Futuristic, Fantasy and Paranormal Special Interest Chapter of RWA
• Former editor of the Windy City newsletter, Blowing Kisses (winner of RWA’s Chapter Newsletter Contest in 1999 and 2000)
• Paranormal category coordinator for the Windy City Four Seasons Awards, 2005 and 2006

Degree in journalism from Drake University, Des Moines

Worked 8 years at a Chicago-area newspaper
• 3 years as a reporter producing 4-6 stories a week for publication
• 3 years as a copy editor/copy desk chief
• 2 years as a features editor generating ideas and editing stories

Currently work as a technical writer at a Chicago-area software firm
• Wrote two user's manuals
• Wrote a 75-page training manual
• Wrote many test plans and design-specification documents


Prairie Fire – a time-travel romance
100,000 words

A modern-day newswoman and an 1830s frontiersman are separated by more than 170 years, yet both their lives have been singed by tragedy.

NATASHA STEWART is an identical twin, the daughter of an identical twin, who grew up in a family attuned to the magic in the sky, earth and water around them. But it’s fire that’s been deadly in Natasha’s experience, killing her twin when they were eight years old, and leaving her reluctant to make close attachments and with a severe distrust for men who promise too much.

JAMES WAVERLY understood death from an early age also, when his mother was killed in an Indian battle and he was adopted for a short time into a Potawatomi family. A loner who takes honor and responsibility to heart, he’s straddled two cultures, never quite at home in either and never understanding the ties that held him to the prairies near Chicago. The untimely death of his wife reinforced Waverly’s belief that ladies are too fragile for life on the frontier.

When a prairie fire magically creates a doorway that sends Natasha though time and into Waverly’s arms, the sparks threaten to burn more than dry brush. As Natasha searches for a way home and Waverly tries to protect this lady who refuses to be protected, they discover their lives are more connected than either could have believed, and Natasha’s future hinges on this frontiersman with an unexpected link to her past.

Prairie Fire – a beacon through time, igniting new passion, exposing old truths.

Why I write romance

This was originally written as part of my promotional materials that I brought to the 2004 Romance Writers of America Conference.

Haley Hughes still remembers the first romance novel she read. It was the early '80s, she was in sixth grade, and she was into historical fiction, Indians and horses.

One day when she was looking for a new book to read, she found an historical novel with an Indian on the cover. Perfect.

She had no idea what "Defiant Ecstasy" meant, she just knew she was hooked.

Scores of books and a couple years later, this love affair with historical romance turned into a new career goal: She would become a romance writer.

So she drafted a few first chapters using an old typewriter. The first was set on the American frontier, the second in Scotland. Then Haley ran into a problem: She was only 13, she had no idea where to start the historical research, and she couldn't conceive of the perfect heroes for her heroines. So she packed away the chapters and pursued a career in journalism.

A decade later, while Haley was working as a reporter at a community newspaper, she covered the Romance Writers of America conference in Chicago. That conference was a reawakening that rekindled Haley's desire to write romance.

Time passed, Haley became engaged to her high-school sweetheart, Dave, and continued to be busy in her journalism career. She joined RWA and started plotting a novel. It would be a time-travel, the heroine would be a reporter, and there would be horses and Indians in the story.

But Haley's life persisted with all its pleasant distractions. She married Dave, switched fields to technical writing, and adopted a puppy.

But that romance novel never left her; it turned into her first manuscript "Prairie Fire," set on the 1832 American frontier, and the start of her second manuscript, "Witch's Fire," set in 16th century Scotland.

Hmmm. Books set on the American frontier and in Scotland?

It seems that 20 years after she discovered romance novels, she's figured out the historical research and she finally can conceive of the perfect heroes for her heroines. Those books she started writing while in junior high school never really left her.